The Effects of Going Public on Firm Innovation of KOSDAQ IPO Firms

Abstract

Purpose - This study investigates the effects of going public on the innovation of KOSDAQ firms. Design/methodology/approach - This study uses firms that go public from 2007 to 2011 in Korea. We compare a firm’s innovation performance over five years before and after IPO. Findings - We find that firm’s innovation declines after an IPO. After going public, both the quality and the quantity of patents are decreased. However, this decrease is alleviated in high-tech industries or concentrated industries where innovation is expected to be more valuable. When comparing firms with venture capital(VC), which are more likely to window dress, to firms without VC, VC backing has no meaningful impact on changes of innovation. Research implications or Originality - As the KOSDAQ market was established to provide small and medium enterprises(SMEs) with funds for firm’s investments and growth, it is necessary to verify whether the capital raised at the IPO encourages innovation. Thus, our study contributes to the literature by examining empirically whether an IPO boosts a firm’s innovation.